Heroic Stupidity
by Cielo1207
Summary: When weak unassuming Tsunayoshi accidentally helps the feared Hibari Kyouya to keep the peace of Namimori, it sparks off a friendship that Hibari, for the life of him cannot break, or regret. Non-mafia au 1827 friendship
1. Tsuna gains a backbone and regrets

Disclaimer: I do not own KHR nor any of the characters. No profit etc is made.

Summary: When weak unassuming Tsunayoshi accidentally helps the feared Hibari Kyouya to keep the peace of Namimori, it sparks off a friendship that Hibari, for the life of him cannot break, or regret. Non-mafia au 1827 friendship

A/N Just got back into the writing groove, this is an old idea that I only recently had time to write. I'll try to update this? I'll try, I promise.

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><p>Sawada Tsunayoshi does not know what he is doing.<p>

The wind is stinging as he runs full speed at the trashed café and Tsuna is going in with full certainty that he will be beaten up. It has been five minutes since he's called the police and there is no tell-tale siren to signal incoming help. In his haste to help the poor old lady (who smiles kindly at him and waives his bill if he doesn't have enough money), Tsuna has forgotten that the Namimori Police are completely incompetent. Five minutes later and Tsuna is unfortunately reminded of this fact when the thugs look frighteningly close to beating up the cowering lady as they brandish their baseball bats with no sign of the police anywhere.

Ten year old Tsuna may be pathetically pathetic and a coward, but he knew the difference between 'right' and 'wrong'.

The door of the ruined café bursts open with an incongruous tinkle as Tsuna skids to a stop next to an overturned table.

"I'VE CALLED THE POLICE!" He screams, voice torn from his throat with alarming ferocity. The thugs freeze in the ensuing silence and even the old lady blinks at him in terrified confusion. Tsuna himself is holding his breath because that was no doubt, the _stupidest_ thing he'd ever done.

Why, Tsuna silently laments, did he pick now of all times to gain a backbone.

All too soon the shock wears off and the thug with ugly green hair starts in menacingly on him, metal bat swinging innocently by his side. The worst moments of Tsuna's brief life loop in his mind starring the ferocious little Chihuahua as he opens his mouth, to scream probably but he'll never find out as a tonfa comes flying through the already broken window and clocks green-hair right in his ugly face, knocking him out.

A split second later, Hibari Kyouya follows and lands on green-hair in a crouch, gracefully retrieving his tonfa as he straightens. Tsuna can only see his imposing back but the amount of murderous intent in the air is enough to make a whimper escape from Tsuna as he falls onto his bum.

"I'll bite you to death." He says and the promise is easily carried out. An uppercut to the jaw, a kick to the stomach. Another more choked whimper leaves Tsuna as Hibari's tonfa easily blocks the approaching bat and the other tonfa smashes straight into the thug's nose with a sickening crunch. The battle barely lasts five minutes. Finally, the police arrive and proceed with a resigned air, mingled with terror as they sneak glances at the stony figure of Hibari. Throughout it all, Tsuna hardly dares to move and it's only when the old lady is safely away and the unconscious thugs removed from the scene of the crime that Tsuna realises he is still on the floor but now Hibari Kyouya is standing right in front of him.

"You called the police." Hibari says and through the _panipanicpanic_ that is drowning him, Tsuna manages to nod. Hibari scrutinizes him and the sharp yet detached interest in his eyes manages to slice though the adrenaline still high in his system and calm him down.

"Next time, just call for me." Hibari says curtly and he leaves without a glance but there is something in his eyes, almost like _approval_ or _acknowledgement_. Almost but not quite yet still close enough that Tsuna nearly glows from the warmth spreading through him. And in that moment, the world focuses beautifully right before his eyes, all sharp edges and bright colours.

When was the last time, Tsuna wonders, someone had looked at him like that?

It's a glorious feeling and Tsuna can't help but want to see that glimmer of approval in Hibari's eyes again. Somehow, Tsuna has the feeling that this won't be the last time he does something stupid. In fact, it feels like the start of a life of stupidity.

Tsuna grins all the way home.


	2. A misadventure in alleys

Disclaimer: I do not own KHR nor any of the characters. No profit etc is made

A/N A slightly longer chapter this time. Early Christmas present perhaps? No Hibari this chapter, unfortunately, but there is a surprise guest! Thank you all for the reviews, they're the main reason I updated actually because I felt guilty and also kind of motivated. Thanks, y'all are absolutely wonderful.

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><p>Despite Tsuna's absolute certainty of a life of stupidity in his near future, there is one glaring problem. He has no idea how to work towards that future. Firstly, it was by pure unfortunate luck that he found those thugs harassing that old lady, it's not as if Tsuna can go running around the seediest parts of Namimori looking for trouble—<em>can he?<em>

Yes he can, Tsuna decides with grim determination as he puts away his unfinished homework and marches out into the cool evening. His mother's _Don't go anywhere dangerous and be back for dinner, Tsu-kun_ makes him waver but with regretful finality, Tsuna walks into the nearest dark alley he can find armed only with unheroic stupidity and a flashlight. If he was going in stupid, he was going in all the way.

(Later, much later, he will find out how much Hibari disapproves on this particular brand of stupidity. It will also be a painfully humiliating experience for Tsuna but that's a story for another time. A painful story as many stories with Hibari are wont to be)

The dark alley is damp and foreboding with the sound of ominous scuttling everywhere. It, however, doesn't smell particularly bad because the cleaners of Namimori are a hundred times more efficient than the police. The light from his tiny tuna flashlight does little to light the way as Tsuna manoeuvres the veritable maze of interconnected alleys. Miraculously, he only trips once and manages to avoid falling flat on his face completely.

That is, until an alley cat runs right past him, mangy fur brushing against his leg. Tsuna screams and flails, arms pin wheeling, the tuna light slips out of his grasp and into the darkness beyond. Tipping forward, Tsuna smashes into the moderately clean ground and is torn between the urge to sob and to just lie there and sigh. In the end though, he gets up, palms a little bloody and knees slightly skinned but otherwise unharmed. Unfortunately, he is now in almost complete darkness. Hands clenched into fists, Tsuna stumbles into the direction he _thinks_ he flung his only light source and safety blanket to.

Ten steps forward and something crunches beneath his right foot. Tsuna freezes and really, really doesn't want to look down. Reluctantly, he lifts his foot up and the cartoon eye of the remains of his trustworthy light blue flashlight stare accusingly at him. At this point, Tsuna is ready to give up and just call himself cursed but the alley seems to be getting darker if anything and Tsuna is actually terrified of the dark. Faced with the threat of being alone in the dark with unknown threats like serial killers, gang members and oh god _monsters_ Tsuna has never missed anything in the world as much as Tuna-light right now.

Resolutely pushing down the urge to cry, Tsuna continues walking forward and…steps in the bright street a mere twenty steps away. Tsuna blinks and really doesn't know whether he's cursed or supremely lucky. The problem this time though is that he's lost. Completely and utterly lost and it's almost dinner time.

"Sawada-san?" A familiar voice calls out and to Tsuna's shock, his classmate is standing right there. Yamamoto Takeshi is missing his perpetual smile which is instead replaced by a frown of wary confusion.

"Y-yamamoto-san?" Tsuna ventures, rubbing his bloody palms against his pants. Yamamoto focuses on the action and his frown deepens into concerned confusion.

"You're bleeding, I'll get dad to treat you." Yamamoto says and immediately grabs Tsuna's wrist, pulling him into _was that a sushi shop? _

By this point, Tsuna is genuinely bewildered by everything and can only nod his head in greeting as Yamamoto introduces him to his sushi chef father and suddenly there's a first aid kit and Tsuna would really like a cohesive explanation of the last ten minutes.

"So, Tsuna-kun, what are you doing out so late?" Yamamoto senior asks, putting a plate of sushi into his hands.

"Looking for trouble and now I'm lost." Tsuna says, brain to mouth filter destroyed somewhere within the dark alleys. Both Yamamotos share a shock and bewildered glance as Tsuna munches on his really delicious sushi.

"Well, I'll bring you home I guess. It's getting late." Yamamoto senior finally says when Tsuna finishes all his sushi. As they leave, Tsuna waves a shy goodbye to a baffled Yamamoto junior and notes down the name of the delicious sushi shop.

When he finally reaches home, his mother alternates between cooing over him and scolding him, Yamamoto senior who watches this with amusement accepts his mother's thanks with good cheer and promises to give Tsuna some free sushi if he drops by sometime soon.

That night, safe and snug in bed with his orange big tuna night light on, Tsuna contemplates the day. Clearly, looking for trouble didn't work and all Tsuna has to show of it are injuries, a broken flash light and unfinished homework. Mentally striking that off the list, Tsuna finally settles on investigating Hibari when school starts after the weekend.

But first, Tsuna vows, more sushi.


End file.
